There are conventional techniques allowing captured images that are captured by a camera, or the like, to be used in a game. For example, there is a conventional portable game device provided with a camera. This game device allows a captured image that is captured by the camera to be used as a part of the game image. For example, the game device may use the camera to capture images of the face of the player while playing the game, and may use the captured images in game processes as game inputs or display the captured images after the game is ended. Thus, the player can use captured images in game operations, and enjoy watching the facial expression of the player herself/himself after the game is ended.
The game device described above is a portable game device, and captured images including the player are displayed on the screen of the game device. Therefore, only the player who is using the portable game device can watch the captured images, and people other than the player cannot watch the captured images. With the conventional technique, it is not possible, for example, for people other than the player to enjoy watching the facial expression of the player during gameplay.
Therefore, the present specification discloses a game system, a game device, a storage medium storing a game program, and an image generation method, with which it is possible to present, to people other than the player, images of the player during gameplay.
(1)
An example game system described in the present specification includes a controller device, a portable display device, and a game device. The portable display device includes an image-capturing unit, and a display unit. The game device includes a data obtaining unit, an action control unit, a first image generation unit, a second image generation unit, a first image output unit, and a second image output unit.
The data obtaining unit obtains first operation data representing an operation performed on the controller device, second operation data representing an operation performed on the portable display device, and data of a captured image captured by the image-capturing unit. The action control unit controls an action of a first control object based on the first operation data and an action of a second control object based on the second operation data in a virtual space. The first image generation unit generates a first game image which includes a game image that represents the virtual space and corresponds to the first control object, and at least a portion of the captured image. The second image generation unit generates a second game image that represents the virtual space and corresponds to the second control object. The first image output unit outputs the first game image to a predetermined display device separate from the portable display device. The second image output unit outputs the second game image to the portable display device.
The “controller device” may be any device that can be controlled by the player, and is capable of outputting operation data. The “controller device” may include operation units such as operation buttons, and various sensors such as an acceleration sensor and a gyrosensor, as does a controller 5 to be described later, or may include only one of them, or may include a different input unit such as a touch panel, for example.
The “portable display device” may be any device that includes an image-capturing unit and a display unit and can be controlled, as is a terminal device 7 in the embodiment to be described below. The term “portable” means that the device is so sized that the player can hold and move the device or can place the device in any desired position.
The “game device” may be any information processing device that can perform game processes and generate game images based on the game processes. The game device may be a single-purpose information processing device for games, or a general-purpose information processing device such as an ordinary personal computer.
As long as the “game system” includes a game device, a controller device, and a portable display device, it may or may not include a predetermined display device for displaying the first game image. That is, the game system may be provided with or without the predetermined display device included therein.
While the “virtual space” is a three-dimensional virtual space (game space) in the embodiment to be described below, it may be a two-dimensional plane.
The “first control object” and the “second control object” may be any objects whose action can be controlled by operations by the player, including objects arranged in the game space, puzzle elements (blocks, etc.) in the puzzle game, cursors displayed on the screen, etc.
The “game image corresponding to a control object” is the game image used for controlling the control object, and is a concept including, for example, a game image representing the game space including the control object, a game image representing the game space as viewed from the position of the control object, etc.
With the configuration (1) above, the game device generates the first game image which includes a game image that corresponds to the first control object controlled by the controller device, and at least a portion of the captured image captured by the portable display device. Then, the first game image is displayed on the predetermined display device different from the portable display device. Therefore, with the configuration (1) above, images of the player during gameplay can be presented also to people other than the player who is using the portable display device, by means of the predetermined display device. For example, where the portable display device captures an image of the face of the player, people other than the player can also enjoy watching the facial expression of the player during gameplay.
(2)
The game device may further include a face recognition unit for performing a recognition process for recognizing a face in the captured image. Then, the first image generation unit generates the first game image so that the first game image includes a portion of the captured image that includes an image of the face recognized by the face recognition unit.
With the configuration (2) above, it is possible to more accurately display the face of the player on the predetermined display device. Thus, players can enjoy watching the facial expression of the player during gameplay. If the first image generation unit performs a predetermined process (e.g., the process of steps S13 to S15) on the captured image (camera image) as in the embodiment to be described below, it is possible to display the face of the player in a more easy-to-view manner.
(3)
The first image generation unit may perform a predetermined image process on the image of the captured image that includes the face recognized by the face recognition unit, thereby generating the first game image including the processed image.
With the configuration (3) above, an image in accordance with the contents of the game, or a special game-related effect, may be added to the image of the face of the player displayed on the predetermined display device. It is also possible to display the face of the player in such a manner the face looks better.
(4)
The face recognition unit may perform the recognition process in response to the obtainment of the captured image by the data obtaining unit. Then, the first image generation unit generates a first game image including the image of the recognized face in response to the recognition of the face by the recognition process. The first image output unit outputs the first game image to the predetermined display device in response to the generation of the first game image.
With the configuration (4) above, the first game image is generated and displayed on the predetermined display device in response to the obtainment of the captured image. Then, the game system can display, in real time, the face of the player during gameplay on the predetermined display device. The term “real time” as used herein is not limited to cases where the process of obtaining the captured image and the process of displaying the first game image based on the obtained captured image are performed within one frame, but may include cases where there is a time lag between the obtaining process and the display process. That is, there may be a time lag between the obtaining process and the display process if some time is required for the recognition process or the image generation process, for example.
(5)
The data obtaining unit may successively obtain data of the captured image. Then, the first image generation unit updates the image of the recognized face with a frequency that is less than that with which the data obtaining unit obtains data of the captured image.
With the configuration (5) above, the game device does not have to perform the recognition process for all of the captured images which are obtained successively, and it is therefore possible to reduce the process load on the game device from the recognition process.
(6)
The game device may further include a first camera setting unit, and a second camera setting unit. The first camera setting unit sets a first virtual camera corresponding to the first control object in the virtual space. The second camera setting unit sets a second virtual camera corresponding to the second control object in the virtual space. Then, the first image generation unit generates, as a game image corresponding to the first control object, a game image representing the virtual space as viewed from the first virtual camera. The second image generation unit generates, as a game image corresponding to the second control object, a game image representing the virtual space as viewed from the second virtual camera.
With the configuration (6) above, game images representing the virtual space are generated using virtual cameras corresponding to different control objects, and it is therefore possible to easily generate the game image even when the viewing point and the viewing direction vary.
(7)
The action control unit may perform a control of moving a first object arranged in the virtual space, as the first control object, based on the first operation data. Then, the first camera setting unit sets the first virtual camera so that the first object is included in a viewing field range of the first virtual camera.
With the configuration (7) above, a first game image including the first object controlled by the player who is using the controller device is displayed on the predetermined display device. Therefore, the player can easily perform game operations by looking at the game image including the player's control object therein.
(8)
The action control unit may perform a control of moving a second object arranged in the virtual space, as the second control object, based on the second operation data. Then, the second camera setting unit sets the second virtual camera so that the second object is included in a viewing field range of the second virtual camera.
With the configuration (8) above, a second game image including the second object controlled by the player who is using a portable display device is displayed on the portable device. Therefore, the player can easily perform game operations by looking at the game image including the player's control object therein.
(9)
The game device may further include an image storage unit for storing a captured image obtained at a predetermined point in time in a predetermined storage unit. Then, the first image generation unit generates a first game image including at least a portion of the captured image stored in the storage unit.
The “predetermined point in time” is a concept including any point in time during the game. The “predetermined point in time” is, for example, a point in time when the control object obtains a particular item, a point in time when a level is passed, a point in time when a new high score is set, a point in time when the game is over, a point in time when one of the players performs a predetermined operation, etc.
With the configuration (9) above, the game system can store, and display on the predetermined display device, the facial expression of the player at the point in time when an event occurs in the game. Then, for example, it is possible to display, on a television 2, the facial expression of the player when the player sets a new high score, the facial expression of the player when the game is over, etc.
(10)
The game device may include a plurality of controller devices. Then, the action control unit controls an action of each of the plurality of first control objects based on corresponding first operation data. The first image generation unit generates a first game image including a plurality of game images corresponding respectively to the plurality of first control objects and at least a portion of the captured image.
With the configuration (10) above, even if a plurality of players are using controller devices, it is possible to display, on the predetermined display device, game images corresponding to the control objects of the players in an easy-to-view manner.
(11)
The game device may further include a determination unit for determining whether a predetermined game condition has been satisfied for each of the first control objects. The first image generation unit generates a first game image obtained by superimposing at least a portion of the captured image on the game image corresponding to each first control object for which the predetermined game condition has been satisfied.
With the configuration (11) above, when a predetermined game condition is satisfied for a first control object, the captured image (at least a portion thereof) is displayed, on the predetermined display device, superimposed on the game image corresponding to the first control object. Therefore, it is possible to present, to the players, which first control object has satisfied a predetermined game condition, in an easy-to-understand manner.
Moreover, the configuration (9) above and the configuration (11) above may be combined with each other. That is, the game device may store the captured image, which has been obtained at the point in time when the predetermined game condition is satisfied, and include at least a portion of the captured image in the first game image (or an image generated from the captured image at the point in time when the predetermined game condition is satisfied may be included in the first game image). Then, the game system can display the facial expression of the player at the point in time when a predetermined game condition is satisfied. Therefore, where the predetermined game condition is satisfied at different points in time for different first control objects, it is possible to present the facial expression of a different player for each of the points in time.
(12)
Another example game system described in the present specification includes a portable display device, and a game device. The portable display device includes an image-capturing unit, and a display unit. The game device includes a data obtaining unit, an action control unit, a first image generation unit, a second image generation unit, a first image output unit, and a second image output unit.
The data obtaining unit obtains operation data representing an operation performed on the portable display device, and a captured image captured by the image-capturing unit. The action control unit controls an action of a predetermined control object based on the operation data in a virtual space. The first image generation unit generates a first game image which includes a game image that represents the virtual space and corresponds to the control object, and at least a portion of the captured image. The second image generation unit generates a second game image that represents the virtual space and corresponds to the control object. The first image output unit outputs the first game image to a predetermined display device separate from the portable display device. The second image output unit outputs the second game image to the portable display device.
With the configuration (12) above, as with the configuration (1) above, a game device 3 generates the first game image which includes at least a portion of the captured image captured by the portable display device. Then, the first game image is displayed on the predetermined display device different from the portable display device. Therefore, with the configuration (12) above, as with the configuration (1) above, images of the player during gameplay can be presented also to people other than the player who is using the portable display device, by means of the predetermined display device. For example, where the portable display device captures an image of the face of the player, people other than the player can also enjoy watching the facial expression of the player during gameplay.
The present specification discloses an example game device included in the game system of the configurations (1) to (12), and an example non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a game program to be executed by a computer to cause the computer to serve as various units (which may not include the data obtaining unit and the image output units) of the game device. The present specification also discloses an example game process method (image generation method) to be carried out in the game system or the game device of the configurations (1) to (14).
As described above, with the game system, the game device, the game program and the image generation method set forth above, it is possible to display a captured image (at least a portion thereof) captured by the portable display device on a predetermined display device different from a portable display device so that the image of the player during gameplay can be presented also to people other than the player who is using the portable display device.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.